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So Little, So Late

February 26, 2017 - Yes, yes, I know - I said my blog was closed. You know what happened as well as I do: Trump got elected.And that changed everything. For the past fourteen months, I would check every once in a while, to see if anyone was still reading what I'd written. I never had a huge readership, and you won't be surprised to learn it dwindled as time went on. No surprise there.

Guess what? I checked the stats today, and over the last month, writeaboutwarming has gotten 463 hits. Laughable for some, major leagues for me. Again, the result of Trump being elected, I suspect. Readers are scared, readers want information. Here's the problem: the idea of discussing Trump's minions' nefarious activities just leaves me feeling ill. I know for certain I can't do it.

I could go back to writing about what's happening to the environment, and I may. There's a problem with that, too. The earth hit 400 ppm carbon dioxide late in 2015, a reading far beyond what the planet can tolerate. It has stayed at, or slightly above, that level since then. Humankind is releasing more than 35 billion metric tons of CO2 per year. A metric ton equates to a little more than 2200 lbs, which gives us an average of 10,300 pounds per person. And that pretty much has to mean that you and I are emitting far more than 10,300 lbs., while someone in Uruguay or the Philippines is emitting far less.

Measurements hit their low point back in September, at 401 ppm. Here's an interesting fact: Most of Earth's plant life grows north of the equator. Didn't expect that, right? That means that atmospheric CO2 drops with the growth of vegetation in late northern spring and summer. It escalates during northern fall and winter. We can expect the CO2 level to exceed 410 ppm this coming spring for the first time in human history. The monthly average might exceed that level, too.

Which means that from here on out, it's all downhill. (That's probably been the case the entire time I've been writing, I just chose not to recognize that fact until now.) Don't be fooled by the occasional upbeat article. The reality? We've cashed in our chips.

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